Acupuncture for Regulating Glucose and Insulin in Type II Diabetics

“As a result of recent findings, researchers conclude that a combination of electroacupuncture with an insulin sensitiser may be a new treatment for type 2 diabetes.”

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Article Cited

Acupuncture Regulates Insulin And Glucose In Diabetics

Author’s Key Points

• Metformin (an oral diabetes medication) when combined with electroacupuncture resulted in improved glucose-lowering performance in a 2015 animal study, as well as improved regulation of insulin secretion.
• Insulin levels were higher when electroacupuncture therapy was added to metformin treatment (as opposed to levels found in the metformin-only group).
• “adding electroacupuncture therapy to metformin intake ameliorates ‘insulin resistance caused by FFAs [free fatty acids].'”
• Electroacupuncture at acupoints Ren 12 and ST36 in previous studies have shown to reduce plasma glucose levels in diabetic rats; and to “stimulate the release of insulin-signalling proteins” via stimulation of the cholinergic nerves and adrenal glands respectively.

Regulating Glucose and Chinese Herbal Medicine

Chinese herbal medicine goes hand-in-hand with acupuncture treatment as an effective take-home medicine. Some of the most popular Chinese herbs for assisting the treatment of diabetes mellitus include:

红参 (Hong Shen)

Also known as Korean Ginseng, this herb “elevated mood, improved psychophysical performance, and reduced fasting blood glucose (FBG) and body weight” in newly diagnosed non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients.

苦瓜 (Ku Gua)

Also known as Balsam Pear or Bitter Melon, Ku Gua when prepared as an aqueous extract was shown to drop blood sugar 54% after three (3) week’s therapy.

番石榴叶 (Fan Shi Liu Ye)

When it comes to regulating glucose, Guava Leaves have been used as a simple tea infusion or tablet. Prepared as an infusion, Guava Leaves were shown to reduce blood glucose levels at 9 g/day. Tablets were also made from an flavonoid-rich isolate extracted from this herb, that when delivered at a total daily dose of 7.2-14.4 grams produced hypoglycemic action.

Before Choosing Herbs

It’s important to remember that herb-drug interactions are real, and each person is unique in their constitution and lifestyle. One size does not fit all. When actively regulating glucose, always consult with a licensed herbalist before seeking out herbal remedies.

 

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Studies Cited

• Electroacupuncture plus metformin lowers glucose levels and facilitates insulin sensitivity by activating MAPK in steroid-induced insulin-resistant rats.
• Release of beta-endorphin from adrenal gland to lower plasma glucose by the electroacupuncture at Zhongwan acupoint in rats
• Electroacupuncture at the Zusanli (ST-36) Acupoint Induces a Hypoglycemic Effect by Stimulating the Cholinergic Nerve in a Rat Model of Streptozotocine-Induced Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus
• Ginseng therapy in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients
• Antidiabetic and adaptogenic properties of Momordica charantia extract: An experimental and clinical evaluation
• Understanding and treatment of diabetes mellitus by traditional Chinese medicine

“Acupuncture holds promise for treating inflammatory disease, study shows” (Article, ScienceDaily)

An example of electroacupuncture being performed on the legs

Electroacupuncture makes headlines again this month, with researchers at Rutgers NJ Medical School finding, “sciatic nerve activation with electroacupuncture controls systemic inflammation and rescues mice from polymicrobial peritonitis” (Dopamine mediates vagal modulation of the immune system by electroacupuncture, Nature Medicine). Specifically, “[e]lectroacupuncture at the sciatic nerve controls systemic inflammation by inducing vagal activation of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase, leading to the production of dopamine in the adrenal medulla.”

ScienceDaily reports, “This research shows physical evidence of acupuncture’s value beyond any that has been demonstrated before, and also shows potential benefits not just for sepsis, but for treating other inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and Crohn’s disease.” 

Interesting to note, dopamine levels increased in test subjects whose adrenal glands were still intact; however, electroacupuncture was less successful in those whose glands were removed. This is not surprising to me, as acupuncture is a system of medicine in which the body is assisted to find balance, and in turn, heal itself; it is not the practice of giving the body something that is absent.

While I believe acupuncture is quite effective in assisting in treating inflammation, I also strongly recommend the use of Chinese herbs. They really are so helpful in treating stubborn, chronic conditions. Lastly, energy work can be an effective choice for addressing the emotional and spiritual components of inflammation in the body.

Not sure if electroacupuncture might be helpful for what you’re experiencing? Drop me a line!

Studies Show Electroacupuncture Stops Pain

MRI and biochemistry show electroacupuncture stops pain

In their latest Acupuncture News, Healthcare Medicine Institute (Health CMI) reports, “MRI and Biochemistry Confirm Acupuncture Stops Pain.” In the article, they cite a number of studies that examine the use of new imaging techniques that elucidate acupoints and electroacupuncture, the stimulation of those points with weak electrical current.

Cited in the article is a study just published in Anesthesiology – The Journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, in which researchers conclude:

“Electroacupuncture blocks pain by activating a variety of bioactive chemicals through peripheral, spinal, and supraspinal mechanisms. These include opioids, which desensitize peripheral nociceptors and reduce proinflammatory cytokines peripherally and in the spinal cord, and serotonin and norepinephrine, which decrease spinal N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit GluN1 phosphorylation.”

What is electroacupuncture?

While acupuncture, the needling of acupoints, has been around for thousands of years, electroacupuncture is a relatively new phenomenon; some folks date the treatment as early as the 1800s, while others place it as late as 1958. Today, we can send a weak current through two acupuncture points using a device and two alligator clip wires. Alternatively, we can use a device that will stimulate a point without the use of needles.

The treatment is comfortable and typically lasts a few minutes up to 45 minutes, depending on what’s being treated with which device. (Most folks report feeling a tingling sensation at the local site that can sometimes radiate down the channel.) Not only is electroacupuncture helpful for treating pain, but also for treating anxiety and depression.

‘Proof’ of Acupuncture Points

The imaging findings cited in the article are quite exciting as science has been struggling to confirm empirically what acupuncturists and their patients have known for millennia: acupuncture points are real. Now by way of CT scan, researchers have found higher densities of micro-vessels at acupoint locations. In their study published December 2013 in the Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, they concluded, “there were large numbers of involutedly microvascular structure in the acupoint areas. Nevertheless, in non-acupoints area, the microvascular structure was relatively simple and flat.”

The adjacent image is from another imaging technology, an amperometric oxygen microsensor, that detects partial oxygen pressure variations at various locations. (I recommend reading Health CMI’s article in full to learn more.) Researchers found acupuncture points showed statistically-significant, relatively higher pO₂ levels as compared to other regions.

Feel you might be a good candidate for electroacupuncture treatment? Contact Melissa for an appointment today.